Unfortunately I didn’t get to read much this summer.   I have about 7 books on hold at the library and I’ve been waiting what seems like forever for them.  I have had to resort to my own personal library,which isn’t very big, to find something to read.  I’ve decided to read “Standing for Something” By Gordon B. Hinkley.  It’s been a while since I’ve read this and have found it very interesting to read again.  I received a new calling recently in our church.  I’m the new gospel doctrine teacher.  I’ve been finding that what I’m reading goes right along with some of the doctrine we are studying.  We are studying the Old Testament.  It’s been difficult but very rewarding.  I truly believe that Gordon B. Hinkley was a prophet of the Lord.  I believe he could see the world clearly as it is.  I also believe we need to head the words he has shared with us.  So if you haven’t read this book I suggest you do.  It’s very small but packed with a lot of info.  Next book to tackle is “Approaching Zion” by Hugh Nibley.

Well summer is here upon us again.  Time for me to get started on some more books.  I got started a little early this year and have already read a load of books.  So much so I’m not even sure that I can remember all of them.  I’m starting to get a little book burned out.  Here are a few of the books I have read already and hope that you might be able to start reading too.  I notice that when I do read that my brain works a little better and doesn’t feel so muttled all the time.  I usually remember things better too.  Now I’m always looking for a really good read so if you have any suggestions I’m up for it.  There are a few things I don’t like in a book.  I don’t like a book that is going to make me cry my eyes out.  I also don’t like books that have too much foul language in it.  So if you know of any let me know.

The dragon of Trelain by Michelle Knudsen is the latest book that I have read. The main characters are a young boy and girl about 14. One is a princess the other a mages apprentice. It’s a good story but not my favorite it is similar to other stories I’ve read. It also looks like it will have a book 2. Which means I’ll probably have to wait another year before I can continue the story.  By then I might have lost interest.

The Farwalker’s Quest by Joni Sensel is another book I’ve read.  I really liked this book.  It’s a little different then I’ve read before.  No dragons or anything like that.  It’s a story based on the belief that everyone had some kind of gift.  Some are able to talk to trees others have a gift of healing.  There are many gifts and this is a journey to discover the gifts of two 13 year olds.  It takes them on quite an adventure.  I’m trying not to say much so I don’t give any of it a way.  Over all I really did enjoy reading this book.

The 13th Reality: the Hunt for Dark Infinity by James Dashner.  This is the second book in this series.  The first book was the first book that I blogged about.  I really like the first book.  The second I didn’t like as much but still a good read.  It’s been a year since I read the first and so I had forgotten a lot of characters and events that happened.  So if you have read the first book already then you should review before reading this one.  I think it will go a lot smoother if you do.

The Singing by Allison Croggon.  This is the last book of 4.  I read the other 3 books last summer.  I really got into this series.  It is kind of like the Lord of the Rings series.  I didn’t like having to wait so long for this last book to come out but it was well worth it.  I hadn’t forgotten much anyways and she did a good job of reviewing with it in the book.  If you haven’t already I recommend reading this series.

I think I have included enough pictures so now I’ll just finish with some other books I’ve read.  Fablehaven: the Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull.  I love this series and I read the other ones last summer.  There is still yet another but last book to come out next year but I can’t wait for it.  This is a good series to add to your personal library.

Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel.  This is the 3rd and final book in this series.  I really liked this series too.  I think it will be a good one for my boys to read when they are teens.  It’s full of adventure and flying machines.

I also read Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer.  Its 6 books!  I know I can’t believe I had that much time to read too.  This series is really not my favorite.  I was pretty much reading them while waiting for other books to come availiable at the library. It wasn’t a total waste on a scale from 1 to 5 it would rank a 3.  It was really hard to get into the books but once you got past the first 100 pages things got more exciting.  So if your looking for a series to fill up some time this would be a good one.

Now I’m waiting and have been waiting for months for the new series of Vampire books (first one is called Marked) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast.  I don’t know if I’ll like it but I’ll let you know.  But I think I might need a break from fantasy for a while.  Let me know if you have any suggestions.

My friend Jennifer lent me this book and said that she thought that this series will go far.  I have to agree with her.  I can see it doing the same as Fable Haven, Harry Potter, and the Twilight series.  It has a really interesting story.  The main character, Alex, becomes an adventurer and is sent on a quest to kill a dragon with 7 other companions.  He has many adventures on his trip.  I love the idea of thier magical bags.  I don’t want to say too much because it is a really good story and I want others to read it.   The major down fall is that because it is just starting we have to wait another year for the next one to come out.   This would be another to add to my personal library so my young boys can enjoy it later.

I love to read.  I’ve read a lot of books this summer and don’t have time to blog about all of them.  So I’ve decided to make a list of the books that I’ve read.  Most of them have been great reads and would be worth the time to check them out.  The ones with * by it means I didn’t really care for it.  If you want more info about a book then contact me and I’ll email you about it.

“The Host” By Stephanie Meyers                           *”Counting Stars” By Michele Paige Holmes

*”Goodbye Ms. Chips” By Dorothy Cannell          “Ariminta Spookie Series” By Angie Sage(4 bks)

“FableHaven”  By Brandon Mull(bk 1)                   “The Breaking Dawn” By Stephanie Meyers

“Wild Wood Dancing” By Juliet Marillier               “Bella at Midnight” By Diane Stanley

“The Navigator” By Eoin McNamee                        “The 13th Reality” By James Dashner

“Septimus Heap Series” By Angie Sage(4 bks)      “The Naming” By Alison Croggon

“The Riddle” By Alison Croggon

I just finished probably one of the best books I’ve read all year (and I’ve read a lot). It’s called “The 13th Reality, the Journal of Curious Letters” by James Dashner.  My friend Jennifer recommended this book to me.  It really kept my interest up.  The main character finds that he starts to receive these curious letters.  In these letters he has to solve some riddles and in the mean time strange and scary things happen.  I can’t wait until the next one comes out.  I think I will purchase it for our own personal library.  I’m sure that when my boys are old enough they will like it.  I even think Sophia might like it because there is a girl named Sofia in it.

I also read this book.  “The Navigator” By Eoin McNamee.  This was also a good book.  If the first rated 5 stars this one would rate 4 1/2 stars.  A bad force is making time go backwards and the main character is the only one who can stop it.  The author makes it really easy to imagine everthing that is going on.  This is another one for my Library for my boys.  Both of the books I read in less than a week and both of them I couldn’t put down.  You can tell by the fact that my house is a mess right now.  Tomorrow I think I have some house work to catch up on.

I just finished the Septimus Heap series by  Angie Sage.  Or what is finished of the  series.  So far there are 4 books.  They go in this order: Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste.  If you like magic and wizards I think you will enjoy this series.  It reminds me a lot of the Harry Potter books.  I like to read books that have been written for a younger audience.  Then you can avoid any language or innuendos that you aren’t looking for.  This series has wizards, a castle, a princess, dragons and all sorts of other creatures.  You have of course two sides Light (good) & dark (bad).  There are two main characters Princess Jenna and Septimus Heap.  There are also a lot of other Characters but for the most part the stories are based around these two characters.  I don’t want to tell you too much about the books because I don’t want to ruin them for you.